Wednesday, October 26, 2011

My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed.

How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, ‘EEEE, your mom only has one eye!’

I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day and said, ‘ If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?’

My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.

Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren.

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, ‘How dare you come to my house and scare my children!’ GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!’

And to this, my mother quietly answered, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,’ and she disappeared out of sight.

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.

My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

‘My dearest son,

I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.

I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.

I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With all my love to you,

Your mother.’

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

India, the land of various cultures and traditions is a land of festivals and celebrations. It is a land of festivity where Diwali festival is one of the most favorable & grand Occasions which is celebrated with great zeal & warmth among all races and religions. Diwali is also called as Deepavali that means a line of lamps. Being the festival of lights, Deepavali in India is a holy tradition and it symbolizes the victory of light over darkness; darkness refers to unawareness and light refers to knowledge. It is a chief Hindu festival honoring Maa Lakshmi “the goddess of wealth. Celebrated joyously all over India, it is a festival of wealth and prosperity.

Meaning of Diwali or Deepavali
‘Diwali’, also called Deepavali or festival of lights, is the concept of the Sanskrit word Deepavali – ‘Deep’ means diya (small pots made from clay) or light and ‘Avali’, means a row – denotation a row of diyas or array of lamps. Thus placing small diyas, candles & amp; lamps inside and around the home marks the festival of lights.

Significance

Diwali also celebrates the return of Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year expel, and a war in which he killed Ravana. It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. Since Ram traveled from South India to his kingdom in North India, he approved through the south earlier. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India.
While Diwali is usually known as the “festival of lights”, the most important spiritual meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”.
Diwali has a very special importance in Jainism, just like Buddha Purnima, the date of Buddha’s Nirvana, is for Buddhists as Christmas is for Christians. Lord Mahavira, the last of the JainTirthankaras, attained Nirvana or Moksha on this day at Pavapuri on Oct. 15, 527 BC, on Chaturdashi of Kartika, as Tilyapannatti of Yativrashaba from the sixth century states:
Mahavira is answerable for establishing the Dharma followed by Jains even today. According to tradition, the leader disciple of Mahavira, Ganadhara Gautam Swami also attained complete knowledge (Kevalgyana) on this day, thus creating Diwali one of the most significant Jain festivals.

How Diwali Festival is Celebrated

The glorious five days long delight of Diwali celebrations is marked by multi-colored Rangoli designs, special pooja ceremonies, and lines of lamps, floral decorations fireworks, and exchange of sweets and gifts that lends grandeur to the occasions. Every home – lowly or mighty – the hut of the poor or the mansion of the rich – shines with the glow of twinkling diyas or candles to welcome Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity.